Judge weighs bid to remove Letitia James from Cornell assault probe over her social posts
Photo: APA New York judge is weighing whether Attorney General Letitia James should be removed from the criminal investigation into an alleged gang rape at a Cornell University fraternity house, after hearing arguments Thursday in Monticello, N.Y. The petition was filed by Gillio Lopes, one of seven defendants, who argues that James's social media posts condemning the alleged assault disqualify her from leading the probe. The judge asked why all of the defendants had not filed it, and Lopes's lawyers said they are confident the other six will join. Defense attorney Eiglarsh compared James's post to a referee announcing the winner before reviewing a call. No ruling was reported.
The right-leaning Daily Mail, the only right-side outlet here, does not address the Cornell hearing in the portion provided. It reports that James, Queens District Attorney Melinda Katz and Brooklyn District Attorney Eric Gonzalez stayed silent Thursday when a New York Post reporter asked at a gun-safety press conference about a Republican-led House Judiciary Committee report. Its headline uses the word "woke" and frames the silence as a refusal to answer. It quotes the reporter's question and a brief reply from Katz. Left-leaning NBC News, by contrast, leads with the court proceeding, the judge's question about the other defendants and the Lopes lawyers' confidence they will join. The two sides share only that James was in the news Thursday; they differ on the subject, sources and tone. The alternative outlets AP and NewsNation track the Cornell hearing, with NewsNation adding the defense attorney's referee comparison.
How the sides differ Left and alternative sources cover the Cornell hearing; right sources instead highlight James declining to answer immigration-charge questions at a separate press conference.
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NBC News leads with the judge considering the petition to remove James, noting the judge's question about why the other defendants did not file and the Lopes lawyers' confidence the other six will join.
AP reports from Monticello on the Thursday hearing and the question of whether James's posts disqualify her, while NewsNation features a defense attorney's referee analogy for why she should hand off the case.
The Daily Mail focuses on James staying silent at a gun-safety press conference when asked about a House Judiciary Committee report on charge reductions for immigrants, using a pointed headline and quoting a New York Post reporter.